The possibility of missile and drone attacks, chaotic electricity cut offs, conscription practices of getting to men at their working place, border blockades, and many other issues makes it already difficult to expect foreign private investment into Ukraine. I have seen several times already how we undermine the interest even of those companies who are ready to use the existing opportunities when they see this non-travel advice.
Having some sense, and knowing the conditions of the war I know of many dangers and inconveniences that await me in Ukraine nowadays. It is definitely strictly unadvisable to visit occupied territories. It is especially obvious for me, as I have been persona non grata in Russia for more than 5 years already. And now they have a criminal case against me for putting the soviet soldiers’ sculptures away from the Vilnius public places while I was the mayor of the city. It is dangerous to get closer to the front lines or to wander around military territories. There is also a difference between The Eastern, the central, and the Western part of Ukraine. This is common sense and data.
![Remigijus Šimašius](https://images.delfi.lt/media-api-image-cropper/v1/8ef5ada1-be48-4d4f-a05a-c5d790be58b4.jpg?noup&w=400&flip=0&rotate=0&fx=0.44012&fy=0.476087)
The western governments talking about big support for the Ukraine economy, and actually supporting it, however, lack common sense in terms of understanding how big Ukraine is and how different there is a security situation in different parts of the country. The US Department of State simply advises its citizens not to travel into Ukraine. The same is advised by the governments of France, Germany, Poland, Australia, my own home country Lithuania, and most other countries. Just the UK is a tiny bit softer - it advises against all travels to occupied territories, and against all but essential travel to the rest of Ukraine.
It is quite difficult to understand why countries like the US have the same level of precaution against travel to Ukraine, as against travel to Russia, while it is just Russia, not Ukraine is the country that kidnapped US citizens. It is quite difficult to understand why countries like Baltic states have the same level of precaution against travel to Ukraine, as against travel to Russia, while there are numerous announced and unannounced criminal cases against their citizens for are getting rid of soviet-Russian symbols of past occupations. Red square in Moscow is much more dangerous than Maidan in Kyiv to any citizen of the West.
You may start negotiations on EU acceptance, which is great news. You may provide money to the economy and investment. You may provide war insurance tonvest in Ukraine. But in order to invest all this You need people to come and do business here. Not only government business - trading, investing, working as well.